Ibn Jubayr's Encounters With the Bedouin

Introduction

This exhibit traces a portion of Ibn Jubayr’s 12th century hajj documented in his personal diary The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, specifically to explore his observations of the Bedouin as he traversed their environments. Jubayr did not present the Bedouin with principal interest. His occasional mention of them suggests a level of intrigue about their nomadic lifestyle, but he denies the Bedouin the evocative prose he liberally dedicated to Islamic architecture and a diversity of environments along his journey. Rather, we read only relatively dry observations. This exhibit provides supplements to Jubayr’s accounts providing an introduction to the distinctions that define the Bedouin.